Reversal of Fate
by Time Lady
Summary: What would happen if, by a quirk of fate, Osamu went to camp that fateful summer instead of Taichi? How will this affect the Digidestined?


Reversal of Fate  
  
Prologue  
  
By Time Lady  
  
---------------------  
  
Time. Think of time as a forest. Each tree is a particular line of time. And on each tree, branches form at critical events, taking the future down different paths.  
  
A critical event can be something as large as a war. Or it might be something as small as one person becoming ill at a particular point in time. . .  
  
Something as small as a virus will cause four people to have a reversal of fate. . .  
  
---  
  
"A hundred and three fever," said Mrs. Yagami as she examined the thermometer. "That does it. You are not going to camp on Friday."  
  
"But Mom. . ." Taichi Yagami's protests were cut off by a coughing fit.  
  
"Even if your fever was gone by Friday, there would be no way I would let you or Hikari go off to sleep-away camp after being so ill," returned Mrs. Yagami. She dipped a cloth in cold water and laid it on Taichi's forehead.  
  
"Why can't Hikari go without me?" mumbled Taichi.  
  
"Hikari is too young to go on her own," said his mother. "Now you lie down and get some rest while I call the camp."  
  
---  
  
"Ichijouji residence," said Mrs. Ichijouji as she answered the phone. "Oh, hello. . . yes. . . there is?. . . That's wonderful!. . . I'll tell them. . . Thank you for calling. . . They'll be ready to go Friday morning. . . Uh huh. . . . Goodbye." She hung up the phone. "Osamu, Ken, good news!" she called.  
  
"Huh?" said Ken. He followed his brother out of their bedroom.  
  
"What news Mom?" asked Osamu.  
  
"The camp called. Two spots opened up. You'll be able to go to sleep-away camp just like you wanted," said Mrs. Ichijouji.  
  
"That's great!" exclaimed Osamu. "I'll be able to do some real nature studies for next year's school projects. What do you think Ken? Up for some nature hikes?"  
  
"Uh huh!" The younger boy looked up at his elder brother excitedly. This was the first year he would be old enough for sleep-away camp.  
  
"Let's see what you need to pack," said Mrs. Ichijouji. Though her sons were happy at the prospect of going to camp, their mother was a little sad. This would be the first time she had been without either one of them since they were born. "My little boys are growing up," she thought, a tear rolling down her cheek.  
  
---  
  
Friday morning, Osamu woke up excited and enthusiastic, ready for summer camp. He slid out of bed and climbed the ladder to Ken's bunk. "Hey, rise and shine! The bus picks us up at ten." Osamu shook Ken's shoulder. The younger boy opened his eyes, then tried to talk. Ken grimaced. "Something wrong?" asked Osamu.  
  
"Throat. . . hurts. . .," managed Ken after a few minutes. Then he began coughing.  
  
"Mom!" yelled Osamu. He jumped down from Ken's bunk and ran to get his mother.  
  
Mrs. Ichijouji followed her elder son back to the boys' shared bedroom. She climbed up the ladder and felt her younger son's forehead. "I think you have a little fever," she said. "Nothing major, but I don't think you'll be able to go to camp."  
  
"I guess I'll go unpack my things," said Osamu, hiding his disappointment.  
  
"You go Osamu," croaked Ken.  
  
Osamu turned around to stare at his brother. "You sure Ken-chan?"  
  
"Yeah." Ken's voice was a rasp. "Take lots of pictures for me."  
  
"Mom?" Osamu turned to his mother hopefully.  
  
"I don't know. . ."  
  
"Please Mom?" Mrs. Ichijouji looked at Osamu's pleading eyes. "I'll be okay, and I'll be able to do all the research I wanted to do. I'll be able to study the stars away from city lights, collect plant samples. . .  
  
"All right, all right," agreed Mrs. Ichijouji. "Just one thing."  
  
"Anything Mom." Osamu smiled widely. Even though Ken wouldn't be able to come to camp, he'd still do whatever it took to be able to go.  
  
"Don't bring back any insect or animal samples."  
  
Osamu laughed. "Okay Mom, I promise."  
  
---  
  
Mrs. Yagami looked at the thermometer. "Looks like your temperature came down."  
  
"Great. Can I go to camp?" asked Taichi hopefully.  
  
"Absolutely not." His mother crossed her arms over her chest. "Just because your fever is gone doesn't mean you're totally well. Besides, now Hikari is coughing. Both of you are going to stay right here at home. You'll just have to go to camp next summer."  
  
"But Mom. . ."  
  
"No buts. You get some rest." Mrs. Yagami took the thermometer and left.  
  
---  
  
Osamu stood in front of his apartment building, excitedly awaiting the arrival of the bus to camp. "I hope I have enough film," he thought. "I don't want my digital camera to get damaged at camp."  
  
"Are you sure you have enough clothes?" asked his mother. "Did you pack a sweater?"  
  
"Yes Mom. I'm only going to be gone for a couple of weeks."  
  
"But this is your first time away from home," she returned, forcing back tears. This would be the first time either of her boys was away from her for more than a day or so.  
  
"I'll be fine Mom," Osamu assured her just as a small, chartered bus pulled up. He hugged his mother, grabbed his suitcase, and stepped aboard the bus. A red-haired girl wearing a strange blue hat and yellow shirt sat in one of the seats. A tall, dark-haired boy wearing glasses occupied another. Osamu slid into one of the seats and waved one last good-bye to his mother.  
  
The bus set off down the road to pick up the rest of the campers.  
  
to be continued  
  
Author's notes:  
  
This is a story that just wouldn't leave me alone. It originated from a discussion on one of the Digimon boards that I won't go into right now.  
  
Essentially, this is a "what if" story. The "what if" being "what if Osamu went to camp instead of Taichi. Will I rewrite every episode to fit with the "what if"? Probably not. I'll probably just do the first few episodes, plus those episodes where Taichi/Osamu is critical to the storyline. I haven't decided yet. 


End file.
